Letter-box.



Patented June 24, I902. T. C. MGLIN.

LETTER BOX.

(Application filed Apr. 18, 1901.)

(No Model.)

LIFT LID IN V NT R. %M iZu/i w vfllk A TTORNE). 5

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS C. MCLIN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND GRIFFITH HUNTER, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

L ETT E R B O X SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,147, dated June 24, 1902.

Application filed April 18, 1901. Serial No. 561 7 (N0 model-l T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. MCLIN, a citizen of the United States,residin gin Seattle, in the county of King and State of \Vashington, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Letter-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

his invention is designed to provide the householder with a locking letter-box which can be opened or unfolded, so as to give com-- The construction of my improved box is fully set forth below and also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of the invention, showing the box closed. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the lid raised for the insertion of the mail. Fig. 3 is a perspective showing the box as unfolded, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the box when folded.

In said drawings, 5 represents a backingplate adapted to be secured to a door or other part of the building, and 6 is the front and body of the box, having the top 7, the ends 8, and bottom 9 formed in one piece with it. The top is cut out, as at 10, to give opportunity for the insertion of the mail, and this opening is closed by a lid 11, hinged to plate 5 and having a depending flange 12 adapted to set down over the body in front and at the ends, as shown more particularly at Fig. 1. The body when folded against the plate 5 forms a symmetrical box of any desired capacity and one not easily rifled of its contents. The lid is adapted to keep out rain and snow and may be kept closed by springs or a weight. The front or body is attached to the backplate by lazy-tongs, one at each end, as at 13, and one at the bottom, as at 14. The levers of the end tongs are arranged vertically, and those of the bottom tongs are arranged horizontally, and the former prevent any dropping out of the mail-matter at the ends when the box is unfolded, and the latter form a floor at the same time well adapted to sustain ordinary mail-matter. The lazy-tongs permit the front to be moved outward in a horizontal direction as far as desirable to give all needed opportunity to take hold of the mail. The lazy-tongs are attached to the plate and front by pivots having a slight movement in elongated slots 18. I

The box is locked in its folded condition in any suitable way, and as one of the ways in which it maybe locked I have shown the body as provided with a hasp 15, setting over a staple 16, secured to the plate 5, and a padlock 17, passing through the staple.

The name-plate is shown at 19. It is attached t0 the outer surface of the body 6.

I claim 1. The combination with a letter-box having a stationary support to which it is normally locked, of folding devices between the box and stationary support acting to sustain the box when it is unlocked and moved bodily away from the support, substantially as specified.

2. The letter-box consisting of a movable box-body, bottom and end lazy-tongs connecting the body to the supporting device, and forming when extended a basket for the mail, and also as a means of sustaining the box when unlocked and means forlocking the body to the supporting device, substantially as specified.

The letter-box consisting of a box 6, means for locking the box to its stationary supporting device and extensible connections between said box 6 and the supporting device allowingthe boxtomovebodilyoutwardwhen 9o at its inner side, a support against which the box is positioned and to which it is locked, and folding devices connected to the box and the support and acting to support the mail when the box is unlocked and moved outward from the support, substantially as specified.

6. The letter-box consisting of a box open at its inner side, a support against which the box is positioned and to which it is locked,

and devices connected both to the box and its 10 support and folding within the box and acting to support the mail when the box is unlocked and opened, substantially as specified.

THOMAS C. MoLIN.

Witnesses:

A. L. J ACOBS, S. M. SHIPLEY. 

